Proposed new sexual assault law takes away a 400-year-old right to defend yourself in person in court, introduces secret trials, and is farcical in relation to some ill-thought-through provisions. It needs major review, partly because many problems it ai…
No more ‘Bali 9’ cases, and extraditions to be monitored
An Australian Parliamentary Committee is proposing sweeping changes to previous laissez-faire policies which expose Ausralians to the death penalty overseas, and also ignore what happens to people we extradite to other countries. Civil Liberties Australi…
Is an Australian man’s home his castle?
Can a man clad only in boxer shorts order six police officers, who fear domestic violence may have occured, from his home? Yes, in certain circumstances, says the High Court, confirming nearly $0.5m in damages and proving that The Castle was a documentar…
‘Fair go’ should drive courts, not through-put
A fair go and justice for all must drive the ACT courts system, not speedy through-put as the main consideration, Civil Liberties Australia says in its submission on court reform. CLA calls on the ACT Government to raise competency at the investigation,…
US ‘greatness’ lost at Guantanamo, US Major says
Read the ‘closing argument’ by US Air Force Reservist Major, David Frakt (in civilian life, a law professor), who is the military counsel for Mohammad Jawad, only 17 when detained in Afghanistan. He is charged with injuring US soldiers in a war, an act…
Whatever happened to…Scott Parkin?
Remember the American peace activist who got ASIO’s, the AFP’s and Immigration’s knickers in a knot, until they arrested him for viciously drinking a cup of coffee in Melbourne? The authorities still haven’t admitted any error – see his story as told for…
Measuring terror laws against civil liberties
Liberal MP Petro Georgiou adds his weight to the call for an independent review of Australia’s terror laws. CLA says we also need a benchmark statement of what Australia’s civil liberties are, against which we can measure the 50-plus anti-terror laws pas…
Equality over-balanced is discrimination in reverse
When should equality turn the other cheek? CLA’s Roger Smith (pictured), a lawyer and human rights worker for 10 years, believes Australia lags North America and parts of Europe on men’s rights to equal treatment in failed marriages. Elsewhere, authoriti…
DNA: US legislates, why not Australia?
A bill prohibiting discrimination and bias by health insurers and employers based on people’s genes has passed both Houses of the US Congress by a vote of 509-1. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is a powerful shield for Americans. Meanwhile,…
Haneef inquiry: power to compel needed
As the tepid inquiry into the Haneef matter continues behind closed doors, it is clear that ex-justice Clarke lacks power to compel full disclosure of information and documents. CLA doubts – as do Haneef’s lawyers apparently – that traditionally ‘mum’ go…